Infants require a specific amount of nutrients each day. These nutrients are often provided through a mother's milk. However, there are times when the mother is not available to provide milk or is unable or unwilling to provide milk to her newborn. In order to provide the baby the nutrients that are required, babies are often fed a mixture called “formula”. Formula is a powdered substance often mixed with water to create a liquid solution that the baby can intake into his or her body to receive the nutrients.
Feeding a child liquid formula created from a powdered mixture using prior art mixing devices and baby bottles can be complicated, costly, and/or messy. For example, prior art formula may be premixed. In this instance, the formula mixture is created before the baby is hungry, so it is ready as soon as the baby needs it. However, pre-making a formula mixture is not always an available method of providing an infant his or her required nutrients as it is typically recommended that premixed formula be consumed within one hour of creation as it may spoil if it is not consumed within that timeframe.
Extending the consumption period for a pre-mixed batch of formula may be accomplished through cooling the pre-mixed formula—potentially with a cold pack or ice. However, the formula mixture must usually be heated prior to giving the mixture to the baby. Cooling and heating takes extra time and/or equipment, so it is not always conducive to undertake these steps—when traveling, for example. Therefore, premixed formula often spoils prior to consumption, wasting the formula and in the process increasing costs.
Prior art devices which are adapted to keep the powdered formula separate from the mixing liquid until the time the two are to be mixed are deficient in many respects. For example, current devices do not operate appropriately—they become clogged during the mixing process, for example, or they may be difficult to clean. Furthermore, many systems are comprised of internal liners, which are difficult to use and may introduce foreign material into the formula once the liner is torn. Many of these prior art devices are further deficient because they require the use of two or more devices to keep the powder separate from the liquid. Furthermore, the device may require a complicated movement to mix the powder with the liquid, which is difficult to perform. Other devices may not allow for the device to be reusable or may not allow for the purchase of bulk formula powder.